1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to information processing system and information processing methods using classes applied to object oriented technology. In particular, this invention concerns technology that makes possible the construction of information processing systems with high productivity and high maintainability, by reusing methods within classes.
2. Description of the Related Art
At present, object oriented technology, utilizing software parts called xe2x80x9cclassesxe2x80x9d, is actively used in a great variety information processing fields, such as software engineering and database construction.
It is considered that one of the reasons for this is that because with information processing using object oriented technology, it is possible to conduct function succession with class units. Also, compared with information processing systems written and constructed in high-level languages like C and COBOL, it is easier to update information processing content.
The class function succession method in information processing systems of a related art using object orientation technology be explained with reference to FIG. 1.
In a related art, succession of class functions in information processing was generally executed in the following steps.
(a) The desired class is copied from a repository housing the data relating to the class (class copy step, S101).
(b) Within the copied class, a new method is coded that indicates the information processing contents to be executed, and program source code is created (method definition step, S102). Here, a method (same definition as operation, service) means the functions to be executed by each class, with the method (same definition as event, request) starting according to instructions received.
(c) The program source is compiled using a compiler and the execution file is created (compiling step, S103).
(d) Execute the execution file within the computer system and realize the information processing contents defined by the methods (information processing step, S104).
As described above, within the information processing system of a prior art using object oriented technology, new information processing is realized by function succession of the existing classes and adding methods within them.
However, within the information processing system of a prior art, there are technical issues to be solved, which will be discussed below with reference to FIG. 2.
Firstly, because the information processing system of a prior art involves succession of the existing class 20 and then the addition of the new methods within it (see succession classes 21, 22), the class scale bloats with succession, and inhibits effective use of hardware resources. Also, it was not possible to make classes using only the necessary functions.
Secondly, in the information processing system of a prior art, because the user is required to add methods as is appropriate, it was difficult to effectively conduct sorting, and for this reason it was difficult to realize an information processing system that was productive and of high maintainability.
Thirdly, in the information processing system of a prior art, because the user performed method coding manually, efficiency was poor with procedures such as the recoding of methods that already existed (for example methods C and D in diagram), and because plural similar classes would thereby exist, it was difficult to efficiently build an information processing system.
The present invention has come about after thorough consideration of the above discussed issues, and the object of it is to provide an information processing system that effectively utilizes hardware resources and is highly productive and highly maintainable.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an information processing method that enables construction of an information processing system of productivity and maintainability, that effectively uses hardware.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a computer read-write memory medium that houses an information-processing program that enables construction of an information processing system of productivity and maintainability, that effectively uses hardware.
In light of the issues presented above, the inventor has come to think that by setting up a system inside the information processing system to enable reuse of methods inside classes, it is possible to construct a highly productive and highly maintainable information processing system that effectively uses hardware. After relentless research efforts the inventor has come to present technical ideology with the characteristics detailed below.
According to this invention, an information processing system is provided, which comprises the method display unit that displays the methods belonging to the classes, the method selection unit that selects the desired method from the methods displayed, the new class creator unit that makes the program source that indicates new classes using the selected method, the compiling processing unit that compiles the program source and creates the executable file, the information processing device that executes the executable file and conducts information processing defined by methods within the new classes.
Using these, a productive and highly maintainable information processing system can be built which makes effective use of hardware resources.
According to this invention, an information processing method is provided, which comprises the steps of displaying the methods belonging to the classes, selecting the desired methods from within those displayed, creating the source code that indicates the new class from within the selected method, creating the execution file, executing the execution file and conducts information processing defined by the method within the new class.
Using these, a productive and highly maintainable information processing system can be built which makes effective use of hardware resources.
Other and further objects and features of the present invention will become obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiments about to be described in connection with the accompanying drawings or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employing of the invention in practice.